GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Incumbent Republican state Rep. Roy Schmidt has spent nearly five times more money than he’s raised in the last month, allowing Democrat challenger Winnie Brinks to close the financial gap since the lawmaker’s stunning May party switch.

In the same time span that covers July 23 to Aug. 27, Brinks’ supporters contributed $16,838 and her campaign paid bills of $10,199.

Schmidt, however, still holds a significant 4-to-1 cash on hand advantage - $98,297 to his challenger’s $26,759 – with two months to go to the Nov. 6 general election. At the pre-primary report, Schmidt had a 5-to-1 edge.

Schmidt’s expenses in the post-primary report include $4,000 to consultant John Truscott, who has handled public relations for Schmidt in the wake of damaging revelations of the party jump and entry of fake Democrat Matt Mojzak.

Another $2,000 went to Bryan Posthumus’ Tuebor Strategies political management firm. Postumus is the brother of Rep. Lisa Posthumus Lyons, R-Alto, who text messaged Schmidt in the hours after the Democratic defection at the direction of Bolger, she said.

Schmidt paid Mlive Media Group, the parent company of the Grand Rapids Press and Mlive.com, $1,819 for an advertisement that apologized for his actions.

Records show the incumbent received campaign donations of $1,000 from Pfizer’s political action fund and $500 from Dan DeVos. Several other PACs contributed to Schmidt.

Brinks’ report has expenses that include about $3,600 to Swift Printing – a firm run by Grand Rapids City Commissioner Walt Gutowski Jr. that also did work for Schmidt’s campaign – and $4,000 to campaign staffers.

Her largest contributors were Operating Engineers Local 324, a union that includes construction workers, school employees and health care providers, that kicked in $5,000 and Rep. Brandon Dillon’s PAC, which put up $2,500.

Other candidates in the race - Libertarian Patricia Steinport, U.S. Taxpayer candidate William Mohr and Keith Allard, who is running without party affiliation – either did not file or have yet to file their financial records.